


Father's Day

by totheendoftheworldortime79



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Father's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-04 22:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4155528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totheendoftheworldortime79/pseuds/totheendoftheworldortime79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Killian takes Emma and Henry sailing and gets a very special surprise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Father's Day

**Author's Note:**

> Pure Captain Cobra Swan fluff.

When Emma asked him to take her and Henry sailing, Killian could honestly say this wasn't exactly what he expected. Usually, he kept to the bay, showing Henry the ins and outs of becoming a first rate seaman. The lad was a natural, sometimes reminding him so much of Bae his chest hurt. But there were subtle differences. Henry had a determination and grit that could only have come from his mother.

He had Ingrid's scroll tucked in the pocket of his jacket; Emma suggested they sail down the coast a bit, making some dreadful pun about stretching their sea legs. He was unable to resist her little attempts at pirate lingo; she was positively cute whenever she did it.

If only Liam could see the sap he'd become.

Killian manned the helm while Henry showed Emma how to trim the sails. Ever since they'd managed to bring her back from the darkness, they'd spent more time together, the three of them. Almost like a family. He didn't dare let himself go down that road, not wishing to impose himself. He was more than content with things as they were.

They followed the wind south; once they were out on the open ocean, Killian locked the helm and went to find his crew. The _Jolly_ would be fine for a little while, left to her own devices.

“Killian!” Henry called. The young man was leaning over the starboard railing, spy glass in his hand. “Come see!”

“In a moment, Henry.” Killian sidled up next to Emma, who was examining her hands. “Alright there, love?”

She winced. “I think I got a bit of rope burn. I'll be okay.”

Killian frowned taking one of her palms in his his. The skin was criss crossed with angry red marks. A couple of them were bleeding. “There's some salve in my quarters,” he said. “Until we get back to Storybrooke, then you can heal them.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Honestly, it's not that bad.”

“Do I need to make it an order?” he whispered in her ear. She was rather fond of him as the pirate captain.

Emma blushed a little, but elbowed him in the ribs. “Aye, aye, Captain,” she said. She kissed his cheek briefly before heading down to fix her hands.

“Now, Henry, what treasure have you found us?”

Henry handed him the glass, pointing to the island in the distance. “Do you think you could show me that tacking thing again?” he asked hopefully. “There's more room out here.”

Killian examined the little island. It just seemed to be sitting there in the middle of the ocean. “I don't see why not. After lunch, eh, lad?”

“Great!” Henry ran off to find the basket of goodies they'd brought along, helping Emma (whose palms were now wrapped with clean rags) spread out a blanket on the deck. They enjoyed some of Granny's finest treats, sounds of the sea and their laughter reminding him of just how lucky he was. Emma backed up hastily when Killian and Henry got into a mock miniature sword duel with limp fries, tears running down her cheeks from laughing so hard. Killian let Henry pin him to the deck, pretending to hold his side in pain.

“Yield, pirate!” Henry cried.

“Never!” It didn't take him long to turn the tables and put Henry on the defensive, their play coming to an end with Killian poked Henry in the chest with the curve of his hook, grinning triumphantly. “I win, lad.”

“You cheated!” But Henry was laughing.

“Pirate.” Killian helped Henry up and sent him off to check their heading.

“You really are Jack Sparrow,” Emma said, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Killian scoffed. “Having now seen this realm's idea of a pirate, I'm afraid I must emphatically disagree, darling.”

She laughed. “True, seeing as Jack doesn't get the girl in the end.”

“Ah, but he does have his ship.”

“And just what are you implying, Captain?”

“That this pirate loves both of his ladies,” he replied. He found her hand and squeezed her fingers. “But in truth I only need you.”

“Nice save.”

“I try.”

Henry was back. “Still on course, Captain!”

“Well done, Henry.”

“Henry,” Emma said carefully. “Why don't you go get...that thing? Seems as good a time as any.”

Henry's eyes lit up and before Killian could ask, he was gone. “Love, what's going on?”

“You'll see.” She settled them on the blanket again, waiting for Henry to return. When he did, the lad held something behind his back. The something turned out to be a medium size rectangular box, wrapped in silver paper.

“I made this,” Henry said, handing Killian the box. “For you.”

Killian took the box, very confused. Why would Henry make him a gift? As he started to tear into it, Emma spoke. “He had a little help, didn't you, kid?”

“Right! Grandpa helped with some of it. And Mom magicked it into the bottle.”

Killian lifted the lid and his breath caught. It was a small scale replica of the  _Jolly Roger._ In a bottle, just like the real  _Jolly_ had been when Ursula brought her back to him. Carefully, Killian lifted the bottle to examine it more closely, his throat tightening.

“Grandpa helped me hang some of the sails,” Henry was saying. “And we worked on the little figures.”

“Figures?” Killian looked closer; sure enough, there as a little figure standing at the helm. It looked suspiciously like Killian himself. He scanned the rest and found another slightly smaller figure up in the crow's nest. It had brown hair and wore something like Henry's own jacket and scarf. It was he and Henry on the _Jolly Roger._

“Do you like it?”

Killian had to blink furiously for a second to get his emotions under control. “It's wonderful, Henry. Thank you very much.” He handed the bottle to Emma so he could ruffle the lad's hair, but Henry pulled him into a hug instead, surprising him. Killian hugged him back tightly. When they pulled back, Killian cleared his throat. “Why don't you check on the state of your island? We can show your mum what you've learned.”

Henry grinned and ran off, eager to show off for his mother. Killian turned back to Emma, who was smiling softly. “Not that I'm not appreciative, love, but what's the occasion?”

“It wasn't my idea,” she said, easing the bottle back into its box. She stood and wrapped her arm around his. “There's a holiday in this world that celebrates...well, it celebrates dads. Remember when Henry made me breakfast in bed?”

“Aye.”

“That was Mother's Day. Today...today is Father's Day.”

“But, love...”

“Henry came to me a couple of weeks ago wondering if would be okay to make you and Robin something. To show you how much you mean to him.” She caught Killian's chin, forcing him to look at her. He was still having trouble believing her. “You are the closest thing he has to a dad, you know.”

Killian shook his head. “No, Bae is his father; I would never presume to take his place.”

“You're not.” Emma moved in front of him, taking his hand and hook in her hands. “Listen to me.” She took a deep breath, then continued. “When I was...you know, in jail, all I wanted was for Henry to have the things I didn't. A mom and dad who loved him, a home. I didn't think I could give that to him. I couldn't be his mom.”

“You're an amazing mum, Swan.”

“Maybe. But it took a lot of work. I always wanted him to have a great male figure in his life, someone to talk to him about girls and teach him stuff, stuff I couldn't. Someone who wouldn't let him down, the way I'd been let down.” A single tear rolled down her cheek. “Neal will always be his father, Killian. But you've become his _dad_. In this world, those are sometimes different things.

He absorbed that, trying to make sense of it. His own father had left him so long ago. More than anything he wanted he, Emma and Henry to be a family. He didn't want to let them down. “Emma, I...I love you both so much. I just never thought...”

“Well, you might want to start. What if Henry got a brother or sister someday?”

His eyes went wide. “Emma...you're not...are you?”

She laughed. “No, but I'm not opposed to the idea.” She smiled, stepping further into his space. “What do you think, Captain? Us with a wee pirate or two?”

Killian grinned so hard his cheeks hurt. He abruptly picked Emma up and spun her around like a schoolboy. “I think that may be the greatest idea you ever had, Swan.”

“Funny, I thought my greatest idea was falling in love with you.”

“Very well, second best idea.” He set her on her feet and kissed her, their lips swaying with the gentle sway of the ship. They pressed their foreheads together, enjoying the quiet moment.

“Come on, let's see what trouble we can get into before going home,” Emma said. “I still have to give my dad his gift.”

“Aye, aye, Swan.”

 


End file.
